Introduction to the context of water management in Tiquipaya
municipality, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Tiquipaya municipality is located in the Cochabamba valley at only 4
km of its main city Cochabamba. Its proximity to this city has led to
fast urbanization with a high population growth (11% per year). The population
has increased from 3’000 people in 1992 to more than 40’000
in 2006, causing a rising demand for water and land.

Water is supplied by the upper catchments of the Rocha River Basin for
irrigation and drinking water purposes. Low rainfall (450 mm) and the
prolonged dry season (April to December) make it increasingly difficult
to satisfy the growing demand for water. Furthermore, the municipality
lacking a clear land use plan, could not cope with the rapid and uncontrolled
growth and failed to provide sufficient infrastructure including water
infrastructure. Consequently, tensions related to access and use of water
for irrigation and drinking water have increased during the past decade.
Attempts to find solutions through the privatisation of drinking water
services in the region have failed, resulting in violent conflicts like
the “war on water” (2000) in the Cochabamba valley.

This situation is aggravated by the lack of formalized, legal arrangements
for water allocation at municipal level. An overall legal framework at
national level is missing and sector approaches by government institutions
are prevailing. Thus, the current system of water allocation and pricing
in Tiquipaya consists of a multitude of informal arrangements between
farmers or communities based on traditional rights (customs and consuetudinary
rights). While the irrigation systems have established strong water rights
and rules for irrigation management, the drinking water sector is not
organized but split in about 50 small drinking water committees in Tiquipaya
alone. Many urban dwellers are not connected to drinking water and sewage
systems, and uncontrolled individual tapping of groundwater is increasing.
In this context, the municipality of Tiquipaya is challenged with the
task to create consensus between all stakeholders for building a collective
vision for an integrated water management. Recent initiatives have worked
towards creating the basis for a constructive dialogue between the parties.
The fact that actors from the irrigation sector are now also represented
in the municipal government increases the chances to find win-win solutions.
A precondition for success is however that the strong irrigation lobby
is open to review the traditional water rights system.

Within the initiative “Capitalization of experiences - Water, Land
and People” a learning group composed of local and institutional
stakeholders in Tiquipaya analyzed the situation related to water management
and identified key elements that contribute to consensus-building. A series
of stories and testimonies were gathered from different actors and served
as the basis for the analysis and drawing of lessons learned.